“It’s a really good feeling to hit the No.1 spot for a few reasons,” Lynch told CMT Hot 20 Countdown during a recent tour stop in Cleveland. “My band and crew … we live for that, and it’s a dream come true

“But having a No.1 song allows us to go back to Nashville and celebrate the songwriters, the publishers, the promo staff for radio. It allows us to celebrate those people. I get applauded every night onstage — which is the coolest feeling in the world — but it’s nice to hit No.1 so we can go back to Nashville and applaud the people that put me in this position.”

Lynch has been on the road this summer with Luke Bryan’s Kick the Dust Up tour. The experience has provided an opportunity to perform in front of the biggest crowds in his career.

“These stadium shows are a whole new animal, a whole new world,” Lynch said. “There are so many people here!”

While in Cleveland, Lynch and his band got in some basketball practice and also got a chance to learn a little more about music history.

“We had the invitation to go check out the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Quicken Loans Arena,” he said. “We got to go and shoot around and play some pick-up games on their little warm- up court kinda back behind the scenes.

“From there, we headed over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. My first time, a few of my band member’s first time, ever being at the Hall of Fame. And I can’t even describe. … I’m mentally just blown away.”

After wrapping up the Luke Bryan tour next month, Lynch plans to launch is first-ever headlining tour. The Hell of a Night tour will rev up in November and hit more than 35 cities in the U.S.

For more country music news, don’t miss an all-new episode of CMT Hot 20 Countdown this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 19-20) at 9 a.m. ET/PT.